On Saturday 24 February, a group of fundraising friends gathered at Greyhound Rugby Club in Hereford to compete for the inaugural Bull & Buck trophy. Dubbing themselves the Pheasant Ruckers, the group took on local rugby team the Ledbury Llamas for both the trophy and bragging rights – all in aid of RABI and the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust.
“We all met in agricultural college and have kept in touch ever since,” said Ted Troughton, one of the driving forces behind the fundraising event. “This year, we thought we’d do something different and organise a charity rugby match to help members of the farming community.”
Members of the group rallied to source not only kit and clothing, but a range of prizes for a raffle and silent auction held at the match, including a 2022-2023 season Exeter Chiefs Rugby shirt signed by the full team, guided outings, and a 4000-bird simulated clay day.
As well as their pride in working together to organise the event, many of the Pheasant Ruckers team members recognised the significance of maintaining a close-knit social circle within the professional agricultural sector, expressing their appreciation for the group and the importance of community engagement.
“Farming can often be isolating, sitting on a tractor all day or being out in the fields”, said Ted. “Social events like today’s rugby match are a great way for us to catch-up and also share a few stories over a beer. It’s also great to see so many members of the community come together and cheer us all on from the sidelines.”
RABI’s Big Farming Survey highlighted that farming people aged 16-24 are the least likely to have someone to confide in, with 1 in 10 people in this age group feeling lonely often or always. Events like the charity match not only serve as a platform to raise funds and awareness for the supported charities but also provided an opportunity for the farming community to come together over shared passions outside of farming. As well as enjoying the match, supporters were encouraged to stay at the clubhouse to socialise and watch this year’s Rugby Six Nations Calcutta Cup afterwards.
The match saw a fantastic turn-out of supporters, with the Ledbury Llamas claiming victory in a high-scoring game. All proceeds will be split evenly between RABI and the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust. Over £3,500 has been raised so far, with donations still coming in.
“We’d love to see the Bull & Buck trophy become an annual event,” said Ted, “potentially competed for through different activities but still bringing the community together for a great cause.”
